Lighting the Dream
A musician living in darkness shines a light for others through song
Even the smallest star can shine bright, and even the tiniest bud can reach full bloom. Be firm in your vision, and don’t underestimate your power. Dreams will invariably spread their wings, and all your efforts will bear fruits…
These are lyrics from a song named
Dreams, composed by Li Guangzhou.
With a good sense of humor, a beautiful voice and a pair of big eyes, Li is a singer who often appears on musical TV programs and talk shows. He dazzles on stage just like any other artist, except that he has never seen his audience because he was born visually impaired. In fact, none of those involved in producing the song and the music video can see—except for the lyricist.
After Beijing won the bid to host the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in 2015, Li began thinking about producing related musical works, and wrote the song in 2018. “I believe that people with disabilities are also capable of producing music for such a grand event,” he told Beijing Review. “I wanted to try, so I wrote the song.”
In 2020, he established a band called Chinese Blind Traveler Orchestra, and invited 21 visually impaired singers from across the country to make a music video for the song, with each of them singing a line or two. At that time, the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (BOCOG) was soliciting musical works for the Games, so the team submitted their creation.
“Every member of the team dreamed this song would be chosen. Through its upbeat vibe, we wanted to inspire our fellow people with disabilities, and help them realize that no matter how small a star is, it can shine bright,” Li said.
Their dream came true. In March 2021, the team received a certificate from the Culture and
Light Up
Ceremonies Department of BOCOG, confirming the song was on the list of Outstanding Musical Works for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.
Since then, it has been performed on several TV programs and ceremonial occasions to usher in the 2022 Games, including the torch relay ceremony in Beijing’s Yanqing District on March 3.
The call of music
Li was born in the northeastern province of Heilongjiang in 1981, with congenital optic atrophy, which was passed on to him and his younger brother from the paternal side of the family.
He had a flair and passion for music, but the family couldn’t afford a private music teacher. So Li taught himself basic music theory. He began to learn to play musical instruments at 12, sing at 13, and write songs at 18. He was so infatuated with music that he saved up half of his food expenses to buy books and audio-visual materials for self-study.
Though Li’s father also enjoys singing and playing musical instruments, he insisted that visually impaired people should learn traditional Chinese massage—a common occupation for China’s visually impaired.
Working as a doctor in the physiotherapy department of a hospital in their hometown, Li’s father believed that opening a massage clinic would
provide a good living for his son in the future and that pursuing a career in music would prove unrealistic.
At the strong request of his father, Li entered the Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine at the age of 19 to study acupuncture and massage. After graduation, he worked in a hospital, and once ran a massage clinic. But his dreams of becoming a musician did not die, and Li quit his stable job to pursue them. He learned to sing from a voluntary mentor, through touching the teacher’s mouth and chest.
In 2008 and 2009, he participated in various singing contests on popular TV shows hosted by China Central Television (CCTV). After winning several of these, he gradually became increasingly known as a singer. He released two songs in 2010, and later his own albums.
Since then, he is often invited to perform on television, including on Avenue of Stars, a CCTV talent show. While developing his musical talent, Li also put many years of hard work into mastering the skills of judo. Having once won a silver medal in a national competition, he has also been invited to sing at large sporting events.
In December 2019, Li was elected as a member of the Music and Art Committee of China Association of the Blind (CAB). He met some brilliant visually impaired musicians across the country, and decided to set up Chinese Blind Traveler Orchestra. Light Up Dreams is the band’s first release.
“I hope people enjoy the music we create,” Li said. “And I hope we can serve society in the same way as able-bodied producers.”
Keeping up with the times
Li is currently a member of Beijing Musician’s Association and Hebei Musician’s Association. He is promoting music learning and employment for the visually impaired.
To Li, if visually impaired people cannot participate in online life, they will be abandoned by modern society. Online participation can help people with disabilities better integrate into society and greatly improve their quality of life, he said.
His efforts have been made through a musical platform by providing guidance to musicians with disabilities to use its app to upload and share their musical works, live-streaming their performances and musical production process, and communicate with fans. The app is also an e-commerce platform for people to buy and sell musical instruments and courses.
With the development of barrier-free apps, visually impaired people can now use smartphones and go online using text-to-speech software. They can hail taxis, order delivery services, and use navigation apps to get around, making life much more convenient.
“Increasing online accessibility for visually impaired people is similar to laying a tactile pavement that guides them along the street,” said Li Qingzhong, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and Chairman of CAB, ahead of this year’s annual session of the CPPCC National Committee. “But building virtual tactile paving to enhance information accessibility is even more important,” he said.
Information accessibility greatly impacts the disabled, especially the visually impaired, who depend on it for learning and living.
In recent years, the government has issued laws and policies to promote information accessibility, and also formulated related standards. As a result, overall access has greatly improved, enabling visually impaired people to explore more employment opportunities.
“Nowadays, the employment environment for the visually impaired or other disabled people is different from that in the past. Previously, they worked as masseurs, tailors, as well as repairers of watches, shoes and household appliances, but very few people still have these things repaired,” Li Guangzhou told Beijing Review, explaining that in the current era of self-media, one can try their hand at live-streaming and e-commerce, and other novelties.
“A new era has arrived, and with that come many new opportunities,” he said.